Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Smalls NYC streaming louder and clearer, 24/7

As the festive season brings about a temporary reduction in the number of live jazz gigs the live stream once again comes into its own. Foremost in the online gig arena is Smalls* on West 10th Street, New York City. Spike Wilner's compact venue has been streaming gigs since 2007, way ahead of the Johnny Come Lately lockdown opposition. Smalls partner venue Mezzrow is also in on the streaming business. Throughout much of lockdown two factors conspired to deter the listener/viewer this side of the Atlantic logging on - the time difference and, 'til now, poor quality audio/visual presentation.       
    

Recently the AV quality has improved to such an extent there is the temptation to sit up late into the early hours to watch at least one of several sets from Smalls and/or Mezzrow. Alternatively, all streams are available to watch at a later, more convenient, time and date on Facebook or YouTube. The following is but a sample of what's on offer over next few days (NB: a set starting at 7:30 EST is half past midnight GMT). 

Dec 25: Javed Gold Trio Smalls (00:30 GMT Dec 26)
Dec 25: Kevin Hayes, Matt Brewer, Bill Stewart Mezzrow (00:30 GMT Dec 26)

Dec 27: Spike Wilner, Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth Mezzrow (00:30 GMT Dec 28)
Dec 28: Judy Niemack Quartet ft. Peter Bernstein Mezzrow (00:30 GMT Dec 29)
Dec 29: Benny Benack III Quintet + jam session Smalls (03:00 GMT Dec 30)
Dec 31: Johnny O'Neal Mezzrow (02:00 GMT Jan 1)

In the first week of January there is more of the same top quality jazz including performances by Jon Beshay, Ari Hoenig, Falkner Evans and Harry Allen.  

For some reason Smalls goes without an apostrophe!
Russell

3 comments :

Patti said...

The joints will be jumping! Some great jazz sessions to look out for. Plus, didn't gals used to wear 'smalls', without an apostrophe?

Lance said...

Some gals, I'm told, didn't wear smalls with or without an apostrophe unless a thong is the contextual equivalent of an apostrophe.

Patti said...

Don't we all remember the euphemisms - for underwear, and much else!

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